Kells Round Tower
| Kells Round Tower Irish: Cloigtheach Cheanannais | |
|
Meath | |
|---|---|
 Round tower of Kells | |
| Type: | Round tower |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SA78233672 |
| Location: | 53°43’38"N, 6°52’49"W |
| Town: | Kells |
| History | |
| Address: | Farrell Street |
| Built 10th century | |
| Round tower | |
| Information | |
Kells Round Tower is an Irish round tower in Kells in Meath, which is associated with the Abbey of Kells by which it was built. The tower, and the high crosses nearby, are listed as National Monuments.
Contents
History
Kells was founded as a monastic settlement by St Columba c. 550 on land that was granted to him as a gift by the King of Tara, Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Columba was exiled after the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne in 561. The Abbey of Kells was refounded in the early 9th century by monks from Columba's famous missionary foundaion on Iona. In the 9th and 10th centuries a set of high crosses were erected here, and the round tower in the 10th century.[1]
The Annals of Tigernach state that in 1076 "Murchadh son of Flann Ó Maolseachlainn, was treacherously killed by Olaf son of Maelán, king of the Galenga, in the round tower of Kells, and straightway, through a miracle of St Columcill's, Olaf himself was killed by Maolseachlainn son of Conchobhar." This Olaf was a Norse king of 'Gailenga Brega', a kingdom located between the River Liffey and Santry. Murchadh was King of Meath for a time in 1073. Maolseachlainn son of Conchobhar was himself later King of Meath from 1094–1105.
Like most round towers, that at Kells has lost its cap, possibly due to lightning strikes.
Tower
The tower stands 85 feet high. The doorway originally stood about 12 feet above ground level and was reached by wooden steps or a ladder. Most round towers have four windows on the top level, one for each cardinal direction, but Kells has five, supposedly one facing each road into the town and each town gate.[2]:4
The crosses
There are five high crosses:
- Cross of St Patrick and St Columba (South Cross): the earliest cross, erected in the 9th century. Carved scenes include Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the Three Children in the Furnace and Daniel in the lions' den.
- West Cross (Ruined Cross): Adam and Eve, entry into the Promised Land, Marriage at Cana, Baptism of Jesus and his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Supposedly the cross was damaged by soldiers of Oliver Cromwell.
- East Cross (Unfinished Cross): incomplete; it gives an insight into how crosses were carved, with the details being added on site.
- Market Cross: 11 feet: as well as religious scenes (including David with lyre, the Binding of Isaac and the temptation of St Anthony) there is depicted a deer hunt, birds, animals and centaurs.
- North Cross: only the base remains.
References
- ↑ "visitingkells.ie". http://www.visitingkells.ie/roundtower/.
- ↑ Kells & District. Kells & District Tourism Forum. http://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/sites/default/files/Kells%20Brochure.pdf.
